<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river’s level fluctuated throughout the past week, said Jim from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But that failed to stop steelhead fishing in the least. The entire river was prolific, but the mid section seemed to hold the bulk of the fish. Bank and boat anglers landed up to 15 steelies, 4- to 8-pounders, per day on egg sacks, trout beads, nightcrawlers, Power Bait worms in natural coloring, egg flies and stoneflies.

The river stayed chilled for plenty of steelheads to keep swimming, even though warm weather came through, and the creek temperatures started to rise, said Bill Ferman from <b>High Hook Guide Service</b> from Pulaski. Get to the river while the run is peaking. A trip Saturday hooked seven fish, both steelheads and rainbow trout, landing two. The Salmon flowed at 1,800 CFS that day, high waters but fishable. All the fish bit egg sacks, even though nightcrawlers were tried. Bill looked around the creeks and saw an occasional steelhead, but warm-water fish like suckers became more common. High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods.

Outstanding catches were pounded in the past days, said Paul Auguscinski from <b>SAS Guide Service</b> from Pulaski. He took a trip with friend Tony Gugino, also a guide, on Friday, and they fought 50 steelheads, landing and releasing 30, including a couple around 16 to 17 pounds. They floated the river from Pineville to the ball park, hooking up the whole time. Fishing was incredible, he said. On Saturday and Sunday Paul guided two anglers, drifting from Pineville to the Route 2A Bridge both days. On the first day they fought nearly 30 steelies, landing and releasing more than 12. Few people fished the river. On the second day the waters were more crowded, and fishing somewhat slowed. But Paul’s anglers hooked around 15 fish, landing and releasing a bunch, including a beauty estimated to be 17 pounds, measuring 32 inches long and 20-1/2 inches in girth. Trout beads caught most of the fish on the two trips, and only one of the fish inhaled an egg sack. Only one brown trout was angled up for a change. Paul’s trips clubbed a healthy number of browns much of the season. Lots of steelheads gathered in the upper fly zone, and spey anglers said they scored “on the swing,” he said. Excellent steelhead fishing should last another couple of weeks, Paul said. SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelheads and trophy trout on wade and drift-boat trips, and enjoys teaching anglers the techniques that will help them learn how to hook up themselves, so they can even return to catch on their own. 

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Striped bass fishing came in waves on the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The stretch at Station Avenue sometimes put out 30-bass weekdays. But only a few catches were made last weekend. Bloodworms, herring and clams got the bites. Quality fish, bass to 47 inches, came up from the waters at Camry Street and Princeton Avenue at times. Live herring was striper candy if anglers could jig a few before heading out. The stretch between the Turnpike Bridge and Calhoun Street was another spot for luck. Plenty of 18- to 28-inch stripers were sometimes fought there, especially on live or chunked herring. But striped bass fishing wasn’t the only action on the river. Shad angling kicked into overdrive, one of the best runs in recent memory. The river at Trenton, New Hope, Yardley and Bull’s Island was the scene of intense shad runs this past week. Mickey Melchiondo went 16 for 24 on shad, a 50/50 mix of bucks and roes, at New Hope.  Capt. Deiter Scheel fished the evenings at Lambertville to load up on double-digit catches on flutter spoons. Some of the roes he boated hit the 5-pound mark. He also scored well on stripers in the area, decking eight bass from 26 to 36 inches.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Shad were pretty much spread throughout the whole Phillipsburg area of the Delaware River, though most were small, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in the town. On another front, plenty of trout filled Merrill Creek Reservoir. Clark Rossetti landed a pair of bruisers: a 4-pound rainbow and a 5.2-pound brown. Justin Dornblaster, 8, nabbed a 3-pound brown and a 4-pound lake trout. Other waters also turned out trout. Russ Oplinger fished Pohatcong Creek for a 2-pound brookie and a 2.6-pound brook. Rich Antonocci fished the Musconetcong River, coming up with a 2.3-pound brook trout. Monocacy Creek was productive for two anglers. Mark Laros banked a 4-pound 12-ounce brown, and Jerry Green drilled a 5.7-pound rainbow. Vincent Maxwell fished the Delaware River, checking in a 6.3-pound channel catfish he claimed.

Shad could be located on the Delaware River between Milford and Dingman’s Ferry, willing to attack flutter spoons, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. At Greenwood Lake quality smallmouth bass whacked blue and black jigs worked over the rock piles. A 28-inch muskie was also subdued at the lake. Trouters found consistent action on the Musconetcong River while fishing with Power Baits and Roostertails.

Seventy-five pickerel were entered in the Knee Deep Club’s pickerel tournament on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Wayne Bryant took first place with a 3.6-pound pick, and Victor Bador Sr. won second with a 3.3-pounder. Mike Truglio picked up third with a 3.2-pounder. Other pickerel in the 3-pound class rounded out the weigh-ins, and most of fish were caught on spinners and Rapala lures. Lots of sizeable crappies were collected in the shallows. Nicholas Lehr showed off a 1-pound 10-ouncer, and Tyler Lamberts brought in a 1-pound 11-ouncer. Hybrid striped bass began to get active, pouncing on herring or top-water lures in the shallows. Dominic Sarinelli creamed a 9.5-pound hybrid, and Victor Bador Sr. landed a 5.8-pounder. Trout were on the move in the lake. Kenny Switlick trolled a 2-pound 4-ounce brookie, and Jim Mackin socked a 2-pound 14-ounce brown. Catch the Knee Deep Club’s trout tournament on the lake from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 17. For further info anglers can call 973-663-3826. Last but not least, remember that walleye season opens Friday.

Trout fishing ran hot and heavy on the Paulinskill and Pequest rivers, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Rainbows to 15 inches scarfed up Power Baits and slammed in-line spinners in the middle of the day. Look for steady largemouth bass fishing at Vernon Lakes. Al caught and released 28 of the fish from 1 to 2 pounds on 4-inch paddletails and Senko worms.

Monster trout hid in the South Branch of the Raritan River, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. He cast flashback nymphs on the waters, pummeling a 5-pound brown, a 5-pound rainbow and a few 2- to 3-pound ‘bows. Northern pike fishing at Spruce Run Reservoir started to gain momentum. The creek mouths held pike to 28 inches, and large shiners fished under slip floats got their attention.

Trout season was off to a very good start, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. His trips fly-rodded lots of the fish, mainly at Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Musconetcong River. Not many big ones were around, but if anglers were looking to catch a bunch, or to even learn to fly fish for them, the population was there. A few of his anglers took trips to learn. Both nymphs and dry flies were tossed, and the nymphs were often generic patterns like hares ears. But caddis pupae worked well. The dry-fly fishing was often done with caddis dries. That fishing was more difficult, because most of the natural dries on the waters were caddis that bounced around on the surface. Fishing could be difficult when the fish keyed in on the bouncing motion, impossible to imitate. Dry fly hatches were okay on the waters, and the river flows were perfect, and the water temperatures were good. Bill also found still-water fly rodding to be picking up, actually a large variety of options for anglers to target with fly rods at the moment. Streams, ponds, lakes, reservoirs and a host of different fish. Largemouth bass fishing seemed to improve on anything from top-water flies to streamers to jigs like Clousers. Bill prefers to fish for the bucketmouths at farm ponds or the lakes at parks, smaller bodies of waters, compared with the reservoirs. Carp fishing with flies was also in full swing, and hybrid striped bass were starting to be more willing to attack. Northern pike were about the only fish that became somewhat more difficult for fly angling. Pike, a cold-water fish, started to move deeper or away from the shallows as waters warmed, becoming less accessible. Bill was also poised to begin fly-fishing in the surf around Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park. He guides the beach trips for striped bass and blues when the spring run comes on. That was about to happen. Skylands Angler guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, even so they can come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He also offers trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrids, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Plus he guides trips for fly-fishing in the surf.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

A few respectable trout were found in the Pequest River, like Dave Barret’s 5.9-pound rainbow that swiped a Rapala, and Frank Patullo’s 2.2-pound ‘bow that sucked up a nightcrawler, said Ron from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook.

Trout fishing was picking up on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Pink and orange Power Baits cleaned up on rainbows to 3 pounds. The falls at Lake Shenandoah attracted plenty of trout. The Trilco stretch of the Toms River served up a menagerie of fish. Yellow perch, white perch and herring were all caught. Carp cruised the river, and a few were hooked this past week, after the bottom-huggers had been reluctant to feed before. Dough baits and corn enticed them. A steady pull of herring and shad went down at Forge Pond, and white and yellow perch also cooperated there. Largemouth bass punched Senko worms around the docks at Lake Riviera.

Striped bass fishing slowed down a little on the Delaware River, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Still, the best was yet to come. In the meantime, attention  switched over to largemouth bass at Prospertown Lake, the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes and Gropp’s Lake. Crank baits and Senkos pulled 1- to 2-pounders with regularity. Trouters spent time at the D&R Canal, putting together stringers of the fish.

Largemouth bass were waking up at Lake Assunpink, Carnegie Lake and Rising Sun Lake, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Senkos rigged wacky style or Texas style, Strike King coffee tubes and Yum Dingers in pumpkinseed and green pumpkin all worked well on the bucketmouths. Trout smacked Blue Fox spinners, pheasantail nymphs and nightcrawlers on the Musconetcong River, Pequest River and Ken Lockwood Gorge. A sustained striped bass fishery was going on in the Delaware River at Trenton. Chunked herring caught the fish to 36 inches.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Striped bass got a little lockjaw in the Delaware River after Friday’s new moon, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. But the fish spawned out and should be on the prowl again. Chunked bunker seemed to become a better bait, but bloodworms hung catches. Largemouth bass fishing gained steam in the warmer weather, and a whopper 6.5-pounder that came from Almonesson Lake was proof. In the Cooper River crappies chased after twister tails. Trout could be beaten at Grenwich Lake, Haddon Lake and the Gloucester Ponds on Power Baits.

The main waters at Grenloch Lake provided plenty of opportunity for trout fishing, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Catfish could be cornered at the spillway section leading out of the lake. Lake Worth shoveled out a mix of pickerel and largemouth bass that chased down shiners. Many anglers headed to the Delaware River to battle striped bass to 20 pounds on bloodworms.

Trout were willing to gobble up nightcrawlers and meal worms at Oak Pond and Iona Lake, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Plenty remained from the recent stockings. Anglers headed to Malaga Lake and Franklinville Lake to settle the score with chain pickerel that ate up shiners.

The Delaware River’s striped bass gave anglers quite a thrill, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Pennsville. Stretches at Elsinboro Point, Penns Grove, the DOD and the nursing home were all happening. Both incoming and outgoing tides triggered the stripers to feed, and time of day didn’t seem to matter. Most of the linesiders were 26 to 30 inches, but a few topped 40 inches.

A flurry of fishing kicked in, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Largemouth bass went on the spawning beds but aggressively hammered crank baits and shiners at Parvin’s Lake, Rainbow Lake, Union Lake and Mary Elmer Lake. In the Maurice River plenty of stocked trout pleased anglers, honing in on Power Baits and Roostertails. The lower stretches of the river offered promising striped bass fishing on bloodworms and plugs. Herring stacked up at the Union Lake Dam early in the week, and larger stripers should be on their tails.

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